Hub — Phlix

What is Phlix Hub?

Phlix Hub is a cloud directory and reverse-tunnel relay that lets you access your home media server from anywhere in the world. When your server is behind a NAT or firewall — which is the default for most home internet connections — traditional port forwarding doesn't work without configuring your router.

Phlix Hub solves this by establishing an outbound tunnel from your server to the Hub relay. Your client connects to the Hub, which forwards traffic to your server through the established tunnel. No inbound ports need to be opened.

Two deployment options

Public Hub

Use the hosted public Hub at hub.phlix.org. Sign in once, add your server, and you're done. No server configuration required.

Use Public Hub

Self-Hosted

Run your own Hub instance. Full control, no third-party involvement. Deploy with Docker or on any PHP 8.3+ server.

View on GitHub

How it works

1. Connect

Your Phlix server establishes an outbound WebSocket connection to the Hub. This connection only goes outward, so NAT is not an issue.

2. Register

Your server registers its presence with the Hub, providing a unique server ID and your authentication token.

3. Access

When you open the Phlix app and sign in, the app connects to the Hub and is connected through to your server. Playback, library browsing, and all features work exactly as if you were on your home network.

4. Secure

All traffic through the Hub is encrypted. The Hub relay never sees your media — it only forwards encrypted tunneled data between your client and your server.

Features

Zero Configuration

No router config, no dynamic DNS, no certificates to manage. Works behind any NAT.

End-to-End Encrypted

All tunnel traffic is encrypted. The relay cannot read your media or credentials.

Multiple Servers

Add all your Phlix servers — home, cabin, parents' house — and switch between them seamlessly.

Bandwidth Efficient

Only metadata and control traffic goes through the Hub. Media streams directly when possible.

Phlix Hub